Economization of hydrocarbon-engine fuel



F. LUKE. ECONOMIZATION OF-HYDROCAHBON ENGINE FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY z5, 1918.

1,339,465, l Patented May 11, 1920.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FEEnEEIeK LUKE, or GEELONG, lvIcToEIA, AUSTRALIA, AssIeNoE 0E ONE-FOURTH To HENRY IsAAc eEAWcoUE, or GEELONG," vIcToEIA, AUSTRALIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Mayfll, 192,0,

Application mea July as; 191.8. serial No. 246,749.

To all whom t may concern: A

Be it known that I, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of the city of Geelong, in the county of Grant, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, whose post-office address is Moorabool street, in the said city of Geelong, have invented ce1'- tain new and useful Improvements Con nected with the Economization of HydrocarbomEngine Fuel, of which the following is a specification.v

This invention relates to either portable or stationary hydro-carbon engines for motor vehicles or for other purposes and has* for its object the provision of means formaterially reducing the consumption of gasolene or other fuel used. It is applicable to either gravity or pressure fed engines and may be readily applied to existing as Well as to new machines. K

According to the invention the volatile fumes arising from the liquid fuel in the main fuel tank or reservoir or in a subsidiary tank, hereinafter referred -to asa generator, instead of remaining stagnant and useless in the upper part thereof are conveyed to the induction pipe o r intake of the engine to form the explosive charge. The fumes are carried to the engine by a current of air, which is induced into the upper part of the tank or generator and is drawn over the top of the fuel therein by the suction of the engine, the air thus becoming impregnated with the fumes arising from the liquid. An important feature resides in the fact that this current of air is preferably heated before being drawn into the tank or generator and this heating is preferably performed by drawing the air through 'the crank case or base of the engine so that it becomes heated and enriched before entering the fuel tank.

Means are also provided to admix a regulable quantity of air with the fumes before leaving the generator and before entering the engine so that the explosive mixture may be weakened or strengthened as desired. rlhe admission of the mixture to the engine and the regulation of its strength may be easily controlled from the dashboard or steering wheel of a motor vehicle or from. any other convenient position, either by the hand or foot of the driver.

FREDERICK LUKE, a l

The invention has proved highly satisfactory in actual running tests and by preheating the air by its passage through the crank case as above mentioned. It has been found that the use of a carbureter may be entirely dispensed with, the engine being run solely on ythe fumes and air supplied by the invention.

Referring to the draw-ings which form a part ofthis specification- Figure 1 is a sectional view of a subsidiary feed tank or generator showing the air inlet pipe, the fumes outletI ipeand the mixture regulating pipe. ortions broken away for the convenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is across section of the generator taken transversely to Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is a lsectional view showing the cylindrical control valve, the back fire release valve, and other parts which are located at the induction pipe or intake ofthe engine.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of control valve and release valve.

Eig. 5 is a sectional view'of a receptacle whlch may be employed for feeding a carbureter by the suction of theengine throughv the` fumes pipe when aforced feed is necessary.

motor vehicle.

'ln the drawings, 2 indicates themain fuel tank lor reservoir which may be located in any suitable position and is provided with a filler 3. The main tank supplies liquid fuel to a subsidiary tank or generator 5. Near the top of said' p phragm or partition 4 W 'ich forms between said diaphragm and the top of the generator 'a fumes compartment G. At one end of the diaphragm is an opening 7 which establishes communication between the lower or liquid compartment 8 of the generator and the fumes compartment 6.

Passing into the tcp of the generator. near one end thereofis a hot air inlet pipe 9 which depends into the liquid'compartment 8 and communicates with one end of lthe crank case or base A (Fig. 6) of the enerator is a dialany other suitable vent. Within the vpipe 9 1s a non-return valve 12 opening toward `the generator. c

Attached to the top of the generator near the pipe 9 isa back-fire valve .casing 21.

This has a branch 22 which .communicates with the fumes' compartment 6 and is normally closed by a non return back-fire valve 23. This valve closes by gravity and is pro'- vided with a stem accommodated by a guide 26 depending from the cap 27 which is screwed or otherwise attached to the casing .21. Leading from the vback-lire valve casing is a branch 28 to which is connected a fumes.I

' needle valve 13. This'is'operated by a float 14 in,a float chamber 16 at the bottom of the generator, wherein the liquid is thus maintained at aconstant level.

. The fumes pipe 34 leadsto the fumes inlet branch 37 of a control valve casin 38. Inside `the fumes inlet branch 37 1s a Wire gauze barrier 39. Stops .41 prevent the gauze being pushed too `far into the branch 37. .The fumes inlet branch 37 has an enlargement 40 which is connected to the control valve casing 38 by a suitable union 42 provided with'a check valve seating 43 havlng a gu1de-44. Through the check valve seating 43 are fumes inlet holes 46 which are normally closed by a check valve 47 the stem of which passes through the guide 44 and is provided at its outerfend with a collar 49. Between' ,the collar' and the valvel seating is a closing spring 52.

The control valve casing 38 has a fumes inlet port 53 and a mixture outlet port 54 Which has a mixture outlet branch 55 adaptved to be screwed or, otherwise'connected to lholes 63 and attached to it is a control Wire 64 or other suitable means by which the control valve may be operated. The control Wire passes through a flexible casing 65-to a convenient position for operation by the driver or attendant. A cover 67 closes the which, While the mits air with the fumes.,

outer end of the casing 38 and is provided with a central hole to pass the control Wire 64 or other connection. Formed through the Wall of the casing 38 are air inlet holes 71 and gas escape holes 72. 'l

As shown in Fig. 4 the gas relief valve may be in the form of a flap valve 73 covering a gas relief branch 74 which passes 4 from the casing 3,8.` This flap valve is proi gine. It also has a fumes inlet port 102 which when .openadmits thefumes to the englne, and one 'or more air inlet lports 103 port :102 is still open, ad-

The generator is preferablylprovided with `heating means such as a heating iipe 77 which leads from the exhaust pipe 'of the engine and may be controlled by a tap 78 (Fig. 6) situated on the dashboard or any other convenient position. In lieu of the foregoing suitable electric heating devices mzy be employed.

n operation the control valve 56 is partly opened wherein the suction of the engine opens the valve 12 .and induces a current of air throu h, the engine base and the pipe 9 into the iquid compartment 8 of the generator above theliquid fuel therein. .This liquidis supplied to the generator either by gravity or by the suction of the engine through the feed pipe 36 which pipe is closed by the needle valve 13 when the liquid in the generator reaches a predetermined level.

A body of liquid of comparatively 'small volume, but .large surface area is thus maintained Within the generator. As the induced air passes through the crankv case or base of the engine it becomes .heated and also enriched by contact with the oil and other vapors therein so that it enters the generator in a highly desirable form. As this air lpasses over the extended surface of ythe liquidl fuel in the generator it becomes impregnated With the volatile fumes arising therefrom and after passing around the end of ythe diaphragm and circulating in the fumes compartment it esca )es past' the valve 23'into the fumes pipe. y adjusting the sleeve 31 the fumes may be diluted with cold air as desired before leaving the-fumes compartment thereby regulating the strength of the combustiblet vapors.` The fumes and air then pass through the fumes `pipe 34 to the inlet branch 37 of the control valve casing 38. The check valve '47 being also opened by the engine suction allows the gases to pass'through the holes 46 to thel controlvalve. The control valve which is manually operated by the driver or attendant opens the fumes inlet port 53 in the casing 38 and also enables aifurther supply of.

\ through the relief branch 74 of the control.

valve casing. rThe check valve 47 and'gauze 89 prevent the effects of'back-iire reaching `the generator, while the back-fire valve 23 'thereon acts as an additional protection in this regard.

"1;l7hen low grade fuels are employed or the quality of the fuel in the generator deteriorates as its quantity diminishes, the tap 7 8 is opened to allow'the hot gases from the i exhaust pipe to pass through the heating pipe 77 thus heating the fuel inthe generator and increasing its volatility and the combustibility of the fumes passing from the generator to the engine.

lt has been found in practice that by passing the heated air from the crank case into the generator and thence to the induction pipe as above described the engine may be run entirely on the fumes and air without the use of a carbureter, but even without so previously heating the air highly satisfactory results may be obtained by merely drawing atmospheric air over the liquid fuel and thence into the engine. In this latter case the carbureter l) may be brought into operation in the usual manner when required, the liquid fuel ybeing supplied to it either from the main tank or the generator. Should the carbureter be supplied from, a main tank which is so disposed that a forced feed is necessary the suction from the engine through the fumes pipe may be utilized for this purpose instead of the usual pressure feed connections. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein 79 indicates a receptacle which may be mounted in vany convenient position at ahigher level than the carbureter, it beingdivided by a partition 82 into a lower or liquidy compartment 83 and an upper or fumes compartment 84. The liquid compartment 83 is provided with a liquid inlet branch 84 which is connected to a feed pipe 85 leading from the main reservoir. The liquid compart :ment is also provided with a liquid outlet branch. 86 which is connected'by a pipe 87 with the carbureter. Within the liquid compartment isa float 88 lsurrounding a spindle 89 the lower end of which moves in a guide 91. The upper end of the spindle 89 has a valve 92 thereon which valve opens and closes a ort 93 formed through the partition 82. IThe fumes compartment 84 is provided with a fumes inlet branch 94 and a fumes outlet branch 96 which branches are connected to the fumes pipe 34 as shown. Thus instead of the liquid being forced under pressure from the main reservoir as in the ordinary pressure feed` system it is sucked from the main reservoir through the feed pipe 85 into vtheliquid compartment 83 by the suction of the engine through the fumes pipe and the port 93. As the liquid in the compartment 83 fills andthe ioat rises, the port 93 is closed by the valve 92. The liquid fuel in the compartment 83 then 'gravitates through the pipe 87 to the carbureter and as said compartment 'empties the float again falls and opens the port 93 to replenish the receptacle.

llt will of course be clearly understood that the use of two separate tanks such as the main tank and the Generator are not by any means essential. rlhe generator can be entirely dispensed with and the heated or 'atmospheric air which lenters through the pipe 9 can lbe drawn directly into the top lof the main tank 2 which will then be provided with the fittings 21 and 29 and if de* sired the diaphragm 4 also. On the other hand the generator may be designed to take the place of the main tank in which case the needle valve 13 and feed pipe 36 will be eliminated and the generator charged with liquid by way of the filler 95 in the ordinary way. This will not of course provide for the liquid being kept at a constant level in the generator, but sovlong as the surface of the liquid is kept below the end ofthe air inlet pipe 9 the results will not be greatly 110 affected. q

Various other modifications and. departures may obviously be made from the constructions illustrated and described without departingfrom the nature, spirit and scope of the invention and it is therefore intended and desired that the appended claims are to be interpreted as including such modifications.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a liquid fuel container having a horizontal partition within it which divides its interior into a lower or fuel compartment, and an upper or fumes compartment, said compartments being disosed longitudinally of the container and being in free communication with each other at one end' of the container; means at the 130 container; and means for creating a difference in pressure between the air inlet and the fumes outlet to induce a current of air to enter the lfuel compartment and' travel from end to end of the same in one direction to be impregnated with the vapors of the fuel, and thence to travel in the opposite direction from end to end of the fumes compartment and thence through the outlet pipe. 5

2. The combination of a liquid fuel container having a horizontal partition within it which divides itsinterior into a lower or fuel compartment, and an upper or fumes compartment, said compartments being disposed longitudinally of the container and being in free communication with each other at one end of the container; means at the other end of the-container for admitting air into the fuel compartment; a'valve casing mounted upon the top of the container adjacent its last-named end and communiveating with the fumes compartment; a back- -lire valve in said casing normally cutting out such communication; a fumesoutlet Ia gas outletpassage leading from said generator; a valve casing interposed in said passage and having air inlet and gas outlet ports; a cylindrical valve in said casing adapted to control the opening of said air inlet ports and the flow of the mixture through said passage; means for manually operating said valve; and a relief valve within said controlling valve and movable relatively to the same, said relief valve being normally closed but adapted to open automatically in the event of a back-fire in said passage to release the gases through said outlet ports.

In testimony whereofl affix my signature. l

F. LUKE.

Witness CECIL MCCLASTIUR.- 

